Appendix E 

FRA Section 4(f) Determination Letter for the 

Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer Facility 

at the Former Charleston Naval Complex in North 

Charleston, SC and 

Department of the Interior Response 
 

 

Ms. Michaela Noble

Director

Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance

MIB, MS-2340

US Department of the Interior

1849 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20240

Re: Section 4(f) Determination for the Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer 

Facility at the Former Charleston Naval Complex in North Charleston, SC

Dear Ms. Noble:

Enclosed for review by the Department of Interior (DOI) is an evaluation prepared in accordance with 

Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act (Section 4(f)) by the Army Corps of Engineers 

(ACOE) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the proposed construction of a new Intermodal 

Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at the former Charleston Naval Complex in North Charleston, SC 

(Project). ACOE is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS), and, in anticipation of funding for the Project potentially coming through FRA, FRA is a cooperating 

agency. In addition, FRA designated the ACOE as the lead Federal agency for compliance with Section 

106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106). Palmetto Railways (Palmetto), which is a 

division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, is the Project proponent and would be the rail 

operator for the Project. The Section 4(f) analysis is included as Section 4.18 in the enclosed Final EIS.

 

The Project consists of constructing and operating an ICTF on approximately 135 acres for the facility 

site, and undertaking off-site roadway and rail improvements for a total of 231.28 acres. The intermodal 

facility would include, but is not limited to, processing and classification railroad tracks, wide-span gantry 

cranes, container stacking areas, administrative buildings, and vehicle driving lanes. The off-site 

infrastructure improvements would include constructing: (1) a private drayage road and associated 

bridges approximately one mile long connecting the ICTF to the under construction Hugh K. Leatherman, 

Sr. Terminal; (2) rail improvements to the north and south of the ICTF resulting in 174,410 feet of new 

track; and (3) several roadway improvements and modifications, including the construction of a new 

overpass. 

The Project site is on the Charleston Naval Complex (CNC) in North Charleston, South Carolina, on the 

former Clemson Site. It lies on the west bank of the Cooper River six miles north of the confluence with 

the Ashley River. It is centrally located between several terminals operated by the South Carolina Ports 

Authority, including the North Charleston Container Terminal, Veterans Terminal, the future Hugh K. 

Leatherman, Sr. Terminal, Union Pier Terminal, Columbus Street Terminal, and the Wando Welch 

Container Terminal. Intermodal containers that arrive at these marine terminals may be transported to 

the Navy Base ICTF or other destinations. The CNC is bounded by the Cooper River to the east, the 

neighborhoods of Chicora and Cherokee to the west, the Park Circle neighborhood to the north, and 

residential and industrial areas to the south. 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Appendix E Page 1 of 3 
There are two publicly-owned parks within the Project Study Area, although the Project will result in no 

impacts to those parks. There are no wildlife refuges within the Project Study Area. In support of the 

preparation of the EIS, ACOE surveyed the Project area for historic or cultural resources that would be 

protected under Section 106 and Section 4(f). ACOE determined, and the South Carolina State Historic 

Preservation Office (SHPO) concurred, that there are 11 historic properties with the Project’s Area of 

Potential Effects (APE).

After consultation with the SHPO, ACOE and FRA determined, and SHPO concurred, that the Preferred 

Alternative for the Project – Alternative 1 – would result in an adverse effect on two historic resources. 

Specifically, Alternative 1 would have an adverse effect on the CNH historic district from demolition of 

contributing elements to the district, and on the USMC Barracks. In addition, the Project would result in 

uses under Section 4(f) of the Barracks and the CNH historic district. FRA has determined that there are 

no feasible and prudent alternatives to the Project’s use of these resources, and that Alternative 1 would 

result in the least overall harm to the resources.

To facilitate compliance with Section 106, ACOE, Palmetto, FRA, the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation, the SHPO, and various consulting parties have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 

for this Project to address the adverse effects to the CNH historic district and the USMC Barracks. The 

MOA describes agreed-upon measures that Palmetto will take to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the 

adverse effects. The signed MOA is enclosed with this letter. For more information on FRA’s 4(f) 

determination and the process FRA used to reach that determination, please see the 4(f) Evaluation.

We would appreciate receiving an acknowledgement of DOI’s review with any comments or suggestions 

within the next thirty days. To facilitate receipt of your response, please email a copy to 

John.Winkle@DOT.Gov in advance of the original. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate

to contact Mr. John Winkle, Transportation Industry Analyst at (202) 493-6067. 

We appreciate your assistance and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Michael Johnsen

NEPA Team Lead, 

 Environment and Systems Planning Division

Enclosures

Cc: 

Appendix E Page 2 of 3 
1

Berzinis, Rebecca W

From: Winkle, John (FRA) <john.winkle@dot.gov>

Sent: Monday, August 20, 2018 7:47 AM

To: Boone, Shawn A CIV USARMY CESAC (US) (Shawn.A.Boone@usace.army.mil); Berzinis, 

Rebecca W

Cc: Johnsen, Michael (FRA); Fitzgibbons, Kimberly D

Subject: FW: Section 4(f) Determination for the Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer Facility

Shawn/Rebecca – 

See below for DOI’s concurrence on the FRA’s 4(f) determination for the ICTF. 

Rebecca – please incorporate this into FRA’s ROD. 

Thanks, 

John 

From: Carol Braegelmann [mailto:carol_braegelmann@ios.doi.gov] 

Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2018 3:18 PM 

To: Winkle, John (FRA) <john.winkle@dot.gov> 

Subject: Section 4(f) Determination for the Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer Facility 

Mr. Winkle, 

The Department of the Interior coordinated with the National Park Service (NPS) and we do not object to the 

Section 4(f) approval for the proposed Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the former 

Charleston Naval Complex in North Charleston, SC. The NPS reviewed the recent Final EIS issued by the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers and appreciates the consultation on the Section 4(f) determination by the Federal 

Railroad Administration. 

Regards, 

Carol Braegelmann 

-- 

Carol Braegelmann

Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance 

Department of the Interior

carol_braegelmann@ios.doi.gov

Appendix E Page 3 of 3